Episode 3952 (25th December 1995)
Plot Vera has an exhausting Christmas coping with the bar as Jack is sick in bed. Steve tells the police he bought the whisky cheap from a stranger. The police warn him not to waste their time, as he did over his statement about Sean. He is kept in the cells all night but is able to phone Vicky. She pretends to Jim and Liz that everything is okay. Steve returns at 5.00am to find his car has been broken into and his stereo stolen. Vicky despairs of Steve and his attitude. She is amazed when he asks her to buy presents for the family and for herself, from him. Alf goes out collecting with fellow Square Dealers for charity, dressed as Father Christmas. Audrey refuses to buy Alf a Christmas present. Andy chats up Maxine and is surprised when she agrees to go out with him. Curly and Raquel promise each other never to bring up her indiscretion with Des again. Josie is thrilled with her Christmas bike. The Wattses and Wolstenhulmes descend on No.7, both sets of parents annoyed that the wedding was such a secret and both assuming Raquel is pregnant. They are relieved when Curly assures them she isn't. The Duckworths' Christmas dinner consists of soup and sandwiches and Vera falls asleep in the middle of the Queen's speech. Curly tries to explain to the parents why the wedding was so quick, saying they just wanted to be together. Larry Wolstenhulme apologises to Raquel for throwing her out as he senses it was because of that the wedding was a secret. Raquel is emotional about the reconciliation. Vicky buys herself expensive jewellery from Steve. The family meal is ruined when the police arrive with a warrant to search the flat. Vicky becomes hysterical and is comforted by Liz, who turns on Steve. Cast Regular cast *Liz McDonald - Beverley Callard *Jim McDonald - Charles Lawson *Vicky McDonald - Chloe Newsome *Steve McDonald - Simon Gregson *Curly Watts - Kevin Kennedy *Raquel Watts - Sarah Lancashire *Vera Duckworth - Elizabeth Dawn *Bill Webster - Peter Armitage *Alf Roberts - Bryan Mosley *Rita Sullivan - Barbara Knox *Des Barnes - Philip Middlemiss *Don Brennan - Geoff Hinsliff *Percy Sugden - Bill Waddington *Mavis Wilton - Thelma Barlow *Gail Platt - Helen Worth *Martin Platt - Sean Wilson *Audrey Roberts - Sue Nicholls *Alma Baldwin - Amanda Barrie *Betty Williams - Betty Driver *Andy McDonald - Nicholas Cochrane *Tony Horrocks - Lee Warburton *Fiona Middleton - Angela Griffin *Maxine Heavey - Tracy Shaw *Mike Baldwin - Johnny Briggs *Josie Clarke - Ellie Haddington *Jack Duckworth - William Tarmey *Sarah Louise Platt - Lynsay King Guest cast *Sergeant Lucas - Richard Mapletoft *PC Sillitoe - Richard Hollick *Cab Driver - Bill Rodgers *DC Cannon - Andrew Readman *PC Harris - Simon Ashley *Eunice Watts - Georgine Anderson *Arthur Watts - John Pickles *Eileen Wolstenhulme - Jennifer Piercey *Larry Wolstenhulme - Peter Geddis (Credited as "John Geddis") *Father Christmases - Terry Cundall, Mike Robbins Places *Coronation Street *Rovers Return Inn - Public, back room and hallway *7 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms *8 Coronation Street - Downstairs rooms *The Kabin *No. 6 Montreal House, Weatherfield Quays - Living room/kitchen *Weatherfield Police Station - Interview room and front desk Notes *This first hour-long Christmas episode for the programme was transmitted at 6:30pm. *''TV Times'' synopsis: The spirit of Christmas catches up with Steve McDonald as the boys in blue investigate the case of stolen spirits. *Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 12,780,000 viewers (13th place - combined figure including repeat). Category:1995 episodes Category:Extended episodes Category:Christmas episodes Category:Episodes outside of broadcast patterns